Grid set for an article loading machine

ABSTRACT

A grid set for use on a bottle loading machine having means for positioning bottles in aligned rows above the grid set and means for positioning empty cases below the grid set. A plurality of guide members are spaced along elongated spaced members defining passages through which the bottles pass for loading into the cases. The guide members include downwardly extending rigid arms which are carried in the corner of the passages for engaging the bottles to direct them into the case. The arms have carton opening means carried on the lower end thereof for engaging the walls of cardboard cartons for aiding in opening the compartments located therein.

United States Patent 1 Hartness et al. v r

[11] 3,788,034 [451 Jan. 29, 1974 GRID SET FOR ANARTICLE LOADING MACHINE Inventors: Thomas P. Hartness, 305

\ Bridgewater Dr.; Robert G.

Hartness, 203 Wilmington Rd., both of Greenville, SC. Filed: Apr. 3, 1972 Appl. No.: 240,542

US. Cl. 53/248, 53/262 Int. Cl. B65b 39/02 Field of Search 53/248, 262, 247, 250

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1971 Rowekamp 53/247 X 12/1969' Englander et al 53/248 X 7/1955 Wimmer et a1. '53/247 2/1951 Leach 53/262 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Canada 53/248 Primary Examiner-Andrew R. Juhasz Assistant Examiner-W. D. Bray Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bailey & Dority [57] ABSTRACT A grid set for use on a bottle loading machine having means for positioning bottles in aligned rows above the grid set and means for positioning empty cases below the grid set. A plurality of guide members are spaced along elongated spaced members defining passages through which the bottles pass for loading into the cases. The guide membersinclude downwardly extending rigid arms which are carried in the comer of the passages for engaging-the bottles to direct them into the case. The arms have carton opening means 7' carried on the lower end thereof for engaging the walls of cardboard cartons for aiding in opening the compartments located therein.

11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJANZS [974 3,788,034 SHEEI10F2 GRID SET FOR AN ARTICLE LOADING MACHINE This invention relates to a grid set for use on an article loading machine, and more particularly to a grid set for guiding bottles and the like into cases.

Heretofore, grid sets utilized on bottle loading machines incorporated thin flexible drop fingers which engaged the side of a bottle as it was dropped into the case. One problem with such'thin flexible drop fingers is that they are placed adjacent the side walls of the case and sometimes do not release the bottle as the loadedcase is lowered to be shifted onto a receiving conveyor. Such, in turn, prevents the loading of the following case and damages the fingers as the next case is raised to the loading position. Not only is it time consuming to replace the bent flexible fingers, but usually several of the bottles being loaded are broken, requiring cleaning of the loading machine.

Another problem in utilizing thin flexible fingers for guiding the bottles into cases is that frequently the cases have cardboard cartons therein for accommodating six drinks. Sometimes these cardboard cartons are not fully extended and the flexible fingers do not properly open the compartments in the cardboard carton for allowing the bottles to be deposited therein. This results in breakage of .the bottles being loaded, as well as disrupting the operation of the loading apparatus.

Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide a grid set for use with a bottle loading machine for aiding in directing the bottles into cases.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a grid set which is, utilized for loading articles into individualcompartments of cartons.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a grid set for a case loading machine which utilizes guide arms that are positioned adjacent the corners of .the compartments within the case for guiding the articles into the case and releasing the articles as the case is lowered after loading.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a grid set which includes rigid drop fingers or arms which aid in opening cardboard cartons carried in cases during the loading of bottles'and the like into the cartons.

Still another importantobject of the present invention is to provide a grid set which utilizes rigid guide arms that prevent the upward movement of a case to a loading position when the case is improperly positioned or has objects therein.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof) The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional case loading machine, with parts broken away for the purpose of clarity, equipped with a grid set constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view illustrating the grid set constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view illustrating one of the partitions forming part of the grid set that is positioned in the slot illustrated in FIG. 4,

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a portion of one of a plurality of elongated spaced members showing a slot therein for accommodating portions of the grid set,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side elevational view illustrating a portion of the grid set with a bottle in a passage being deposited into a carton positioned in a case,

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view illustratingdownwardly extending rigid arms forming a part of the grid set which aid in guiding a bottle and the like into a carton and also aids in expanding an improperly expanded cardboard carton carried in a case,

FIG 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along lines 7 -7 of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating an upper portion of one of said guide members.

Referring in more particular to FIG. I, there is illustrated an apparatus for loading a plurality of articles, such as bottles, into cartons. The apparatus includes a grid set A and means B carried above the grid set for positioning articles, such as bottles, in aligned rows above the grid set A. Means C is also provided for positioning a carton below the grid set A. The grid set includes a plurality of elongated spaced members D which are spaced-sufficiently apart for allowing the bottles to pass therebetween. Guide members E are spaced along the elongated spaced members D defining square passages through which the articles pass for loading into the cartons. The guide members include elongated downwardly extending rigid arms F which are pivotally attached to the. elongated spaced members D adjacent the corners of the passages. A lower end of each of the rigid arms F extend inwardly towards the center of one of the passages for engaging the bottles as the bottles are dropped through the passagesinto the cartons. 1

Thus, the movement of the bottles passing through the passages is retarded by the rigid arms F so that the bottles are deposited gently into the case. Positioned on the bottom of the rigid arms F are carton opening means G which engage the walls of cardboard cartons to open the individual compartments therein as the bottles are deposited in the cartons.

The means B for positioning the articles or bottles above the grid set A includes a conveyor system, generally designated by the reference character'l0, which feeds the bottles '11 onto a plurality of elongated parallel bars 12. The conveyor 10 is provided .for supplying four aligned rows of bottles 11 so that there will will be twenty-four bottles positioned above the grid set A that are to be loaded into a case 13. Only one row of bottles is shown in FIG. 1. Between each row of bottles is a vertical elongated partition 14, which'prevents the bottles from shifting laterally after being positioned over the grid set A. When it is desired to load a case with the bottles carried above the grid set A, the rods 12 are shifted laterally allowing the bottles 11 to drop through the grid set A into the case 13. The case is then lowered from the loading position shown in FIG. 1 to be transferred on a receiving conveyor 15.

The grid set A is positioned directly below the rods 12 and includes a plurality of elongated spaced members D which are spaced apart sufficiently for allowing the bottles 11 to be pass therebetween. The guide members E are spaced along the elongated spaced members D to define a grid network having a plurality of square passages 16 through which an individual bottle passes for loading into a case 13. Each of the guide members include a partition 17, such as illustrated in FIG. 3, which has four downwardly extending fingers 18 through 21. Between the aligned fingers 18 through 21 are slots. The upper portion of the partition is arcuate and has opposed-rounded surfaces at 22 and 23 which aid in directing the bottles into the passages as such are dropped therethrough. A protrusion 24 is carried adjacent the top of the partition 17. The elongated spaced members D have an inverted T-shaped slot 25. provided for receiving the partition 17. Opposed slots 26 and 27 are provided in the upper edge of the elongated members D for accommodating a circular spring 28. When the guide members E are assembled the partitions 17 are placed at right angles to the elongated members D with the inner arms 19 and 20 being positioned on the opposite side ofthe elongated guide members E below the horizontal slot 29 forming a part of the inverted T-shaped slot 25. The partition 17 is pushed downwardly in the slot 25 until the surface 30 joining the two arms 19 and 20 rest on the bottom of the slot 29 with the protrusion 24 flush with the top of the elongated spaced member D.

The upper ends of the downwardly extending rigid arm have a right angle surface 31 which tapers inwardly from approximately a distance equal to the distance between the horizontal slot 29 and the top of the elongated spaced member D, such as best illustrated in FIG. 6. The rounded surface 32 of the rigid arms have a horizontal slot 33 provided therein for accommodating the ring 34. When the guide members E are assembled the partition 17 are inserted within the slot 25 carried within the elongated spaced members D to define four circumferentially spaced intersections. A locking ring is inserted into the horizontal slot 29 with the inner arms l9 and 20 of the partition 17 extending therethrough, as shown in FIG. 8. At each intersection an upper end of a rigid arm is inserted between the locking ring 33 and the partition 17 and elongated member D. Another slot 35 is provided in the upper end of the rigid arms F for accommodating the spring 28. Since the angle surfaces 31 of the upper end of the rigid arms F taper inwardly such produces a pivot point at 30 where the angle surface 31 terminates into the round rigid arm F. Therefore, the rigid arms are allowed to pivot from adjacent the center of a passageway, such as illustrated in FIG. 6, to a position where they are located in a corner or dead space of a passage 16, such as illustrated in FIG. 5. After the bottle 11 passes through the passage the springs 28 engaging the upper ends of the arms F cause the arms to pivot back to the position illustrated in FIG. 6.

While the partition 17 normally takes the shape of a four prong fork-type member, such as illustrated in FIG. 4,when, however, the guide members are positioned on the outermost elongated spaced member D the outer leg 18 may be severed therefrom, such as illustrated in FIG. by the guide member shown on the left. It is also noted that for the guide member shown on the left a locking pin 35 is utilized instead of one of the elongated rigid arms F. On the ends of the grid assembly and adjacent the middle instead of. using the individual partitions 17 a continuous partition 36 is utilized so as to act as a support for the entire grid set. The partition 36, of course, includes all of the fingers corresponding to fingers 18 through 21 of the partition 17 so as to make up the guide member. The only difference being that it is made from a continuous metal bar that spans the entire grid set.

Sometimes instead of loading the bottles 11 directly into a case it is desired that the bottles be loaded into cardboard cartons whichare capable of holding six drink bottles. One of the problems heretofore encountered in loading drinks into such cartons is that if the carton is not properly extended the bottles will not be inserted into the compartments thereof, causing the loading apparatus to malfunction. In order to insure that compartments of the cartons 38 are properly extended angle members G are carried on the lower end of the rigid arms F. These angle members G extend outwardly from the bottom of the rigid arms F to a junction, such as illustrated at 40, then back into the arms. The wing-shaped angle members G may be attached to the rigid arms F as by the welds 41. As a bottle passes through the passage 16 it first engages the rigid arms F pivoting the lower ends outwarly to the position illustrated in FIG. 5. As the rigid arms F are pivoted outward the angle members G engage the comers of the compartments of the cartons 38 to insure that they are properly extended for receiving the bottles therein. It is noted from FIG. 7 that the rigid arms F with the angle members G positioned thereon are located when in the extended position in the corner of the passages allowing such to be removed therefrom readily without binding between the bottle and the carton 38 as the case in which the bottles are loaded is lowered.

In summarizing the operation of the invention, first the bottles 11 are fed onto the rods .12 in four parallel rows of six bottles. The rods 12 are then shifted laterally allowing the twenty-four bottles to drop through the grid set A. Prior to the bottles dropping through the grid set a case 13 containing four cardboard cartons 38 is raised to the loading position illustrated in FIG. 1. The bottles pass through the grid set A engaging the rigid arms F pivoting the lower end of the arms outwardly toward the corners of the compartments of the carton. Such insures that the cartons are properly extended. After the bottles are loaded into the case the mechanism 41, which is used for raising the case to the loading position, is lowered. The next case coming off of a conveyor means 42 pushes the loaded case 13 onto the receiving conveyor 15. The empty case is then raised by the mechanism 41 back to the loading position, such as illustrated in FIG. 1, and the cycle is repeated.

Pneumatic cylinders (not shown) are utilized for raising and lowering the mechanism that supports the cases. One advantage of using rigid arms F is that sometimes if the loading apparatus malfunctions and the mechanism 41 begins raising a case already loaded with drink bottles the rigid arms F are strong enough to overcome the pneumatic pressure attempting to raise the case preventing damage to the mechanism 'and drink bottles. It is, also, noted that the rigid arms F can be removed readily by removing the spring 28 and sliding the arms through the locking ring 34.

The purpose of rounding off the upper edges 22 and 23 of the partition 17 is that as the bottles drop through the passages 16 in the grid set, if the lower end of a bottle 11 is not exactly in line with the center of the passage 16, when such strikes the inclined edge of the partition 17 such will direct it to the appropriate passage without allowing such to "rest thereon.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1-. An apparatus for loading a plurality of articles into cartons comprising: a grid set, means for positioning said articles in aligned rows above said grid set, means for positioning a carton below said grid set, said grid set including a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said articles to pass therebetween, guide members spaced along said elongated spaced members defining square passages through which said articles pass for loading into said carton, said guide members including elongated downwardly extending rigid arms pivotally attached to said elongated spaced members adjacent the corners of said passages, a lower end of each of said rigid arms extending inwardly toward the-center of one of said passages for engaging said articles as said articles are dropped through said passages into said carton, whereby said arms pivot towards the corners of said passages as said articles pass through said passages.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lower ends of said arms are spring biased inwardly toward the center of said passages for retarding the movement of said articles as said articles pass through said passages so that said articles are deposited gently into said carton.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide members include, partitions carried between said passages having opposed upper surfaces tapering downwardly from an apex towards adjacent passages for directing said articles into said passages as said articles are dropped from said aligned rows above said grid set.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein, said partitions have aligned downwardly extending fingers, said elongated spaced members being slotted for receiving a center finger of said aligned downwardly extending fingers of said partitions with the partitionsbisecting said elongated members, a side of said rigid arrns adjacent an upper end being at a right angle so as to fit in the intersection defined by said elongated spaced member and a partition, a locking ring carried in a horizontal slot in said elongated spaced member encompassing said rigid arms and said center finger of said partition for holding said rigid arms and said partition in position relative to said elongated spaced member, and a circular resilient member encompassing the upper ends of said arms at each intersection for pulling the upper ends of said arms towards said intersection while causing said lower ends of said arms to extend toward the center of said passages.

5. A grid set for use on a bottle loading machine having means for positioning bottles in aligned rows above said grid set and means for positioning empty cases below said grid set, the improvement comprising: a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, guide members spaced along said elongated members defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, said guide members including elongated downwardly extending arms carried adjacent the corners of said passages, resilient means for biasing lower ends of said arms inwardly towards the center of said passages for engaging said bottles as said bottles are dropped from said aligned rows through said passages into said case, whereby the movement of said bottles passing through said passages is retarded by said arms so that said bottles are deposited gently into said case.

6. The grid set as set forth in claim 5 for depositing said bottles in cardboard cartons having walls and partitions defining compartments, said cartons being carried in said cases comprising: carton opening means carried on the lower ends of said arms for engaging said walls of said cartons for opening said compartments as said bottles are deposited in said cartons.

7. The grid set as set forth in claim 5, further comprising: means for pivotally attaching said arms to said elongated spaced members,-said downwardly extending arms being rigid, and wherein said resilient means includes a spring for forcing said lower ends of said arms inwardly toward the center of said passages.

8. A positioning arm for use in a grid set on a bottle loading machine, wherein bottles are loaded from aligned rows carried above said grid set into a carton carried below said'grid set, said grid set including a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, and guide members spaced along said elongated spaced members defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, said positioning arm compris'ingz an elongated rigid member; means adjacent an upper end of said elongated member for supporting said elongated member in a comer of said passage, and carton opening means carried adjacent a lower end of said elongated member for engaging the walls of said carton for opening said carton in order to aid in depositing said bottles therein.

9. The positioning arm as set forth in claim 8, wherein an upper portion of. said elongated member is tapered inwardly so that said elongated rigid member can be pivotally attached to said elongated spaced members.

10. The positioning arm as set forth in claim 8, wherein said carton opening means includes an angle member carried adjacent a lower end of said elongated arm for engaging the walls of said carton for opening said carton.

11. A positioning arm for use in a grid set on a bottle loading machine, wherein bottles are loaded from aligned rows carried above said grid set into a carton carried below said grid set, said g'rid set including a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, guide members spaced along said elongated spaced members defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, resilient means engaging an upper end of said positioning arm biasing a lower end inwardly towards the center of said passages for engaging said bottles as said bottles are dropped from said aligned rows through said passages into said carton, comprising: an elongated rigid member, an upper portion of said elongated member being tapered inwardly, and means provided in an upper end of said rigid member for receiving said resilient means so as to bias a lower end of said elongated rigid member inwardly. 

1. An apparatus for loading a plurality of articles into cartons comprising: a grid set, means for positioning said articles in aligned rows above said grid set, means for positioning a carton below said grid set, said grid set including a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said articles to pass therebetween, guide members spaced along said elongated spaced members defining square passages through which said articles pass for loading into said carton, said guide members incluDing elongated downwardly extending rigid arms pivotally attached to said elongated spaced members adjacent the corners of said passages, a lower end of each of said rigid arms extending inwardly toward the center of one of said passages for engaging said articles as said articles are dropped through said passages into said carton, whereby said arms pivot towards the corners of said passages as said articles pass through said passages.
 2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lower ends of said arms are spring biased inwardly toward the center of said passages for retarding the movement of said articles as said articles pass through said passages so that said articles are deposited gently into said carton.
 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide members include, partitions carried between said passages having opposed upper surfaces tapering downwardly from an apex towards adjacent passages for directing said articles into said passages as said articles are dropped from said aligned rows above said grid set.
 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein, said partitions have aligned downwardly extending fingers, said elongated spaced members being slotted for receiving a center finger of said aligned downwardly extending fingers of said partitions with the partitions bisecting said elongated members, a side of said rigid arms adjacent an upper end being at a right angle so as to fit in the intersection defined by said elongated spaced member and a partition, a locking ring carried in a horizontal slot in said elongated spaced member encompassing said rigid arms and said center finger of said partition for holding said rigid arms and said partition in position relative to said elongated spaced member, and a circular resilient member encompassing the upper ends of said arms at each intersection for pulling the upper ends of said arms towards said intersection while causing said lower ends of said arms to extend toward the center of said passages.
 5. A grid set for use on a bottle loading machine having means for positioning bottles in aligned rows above said grid set and means for positioning empty cases below said grid set, the improvement comprising: a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, guide members spaced along said elongated members defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, said guide members including elongated downwardly extending arms carried adjacent the corners of said passages, resilient means for biasing lower ends of said arms inwardly towards the center of said passages for engaging said bottles as said bottles are dropped from said aligned rows through said passages into said case, whereby the movement of said bottles passing through said passages is retarded by said arms so that said bottles are deposited gently into said case.
 6. The grid set as set forth in claim 5 for depositing said bottles in cardboard cartons having walls and partitions defining compartments, said cartons being carried in said cases comprising: carton opening means carried on the lower ends of said arms for engaging said walls of said cartons for opening said compartments as said bottles are deposited in said cartons.
 7. The grid set as set forth in claim 5, further comprising: means for pivotally attaching said arms to said elongated spaced members, said downwardly extending arms being rigid, and wherein said resilient means includes a spring for forcing said lower ends of said arms inwardly toward the center of said passages.
 8. A positioning arm for use in a grid set on a bottle loading machine, wherein bottles are loaded from aligned rows carried above said grid set into a carton carried below said grid set, said grid set including a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, and guide members spaced along said elongated spaced mEmbers defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, said positioning arm comprising: an elongated rigid member; means adjacent an upper end of said elongated member for supporting said elongated member in a corner of said passage, and carton opening means carried adjacent a lower end of said elongated member for engaging the walls of said carton for opening said carton in order to aid in depositing said bottles therein.
 9. The positioning arm as set forth in claim 8, wherein an upper portion of said elongated member is tapered inwardly so that said elongated rigid member can be pivotally attached to said elongated spaced members.
 10. The positioning arm as set forth in claim 8, wherein said carton opening means includes an angle member carried adjacent a lower end of said elongated arm for engaging the walls of said carton for opening said carton.
 11. A positioning arm for use in a grid set on a bottle loading machine, wherein bottles are loaded from aligned rows carried above said grid set into a carton carried below said grid set, said grid set including a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, guide members spaced along said elongated spaced members defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, resilient means engaging an upper end of said positioning arm biasing a lower end inwardly towards the center of said passages for engaging said bottles as said bottles are dropped from said aligned rows through said passages into said carton, comprising: an elongated rigid member, an upper portion of said elongated member being tapered inwardly, and means provided in an upper end of said rigid member for receiving said resilient means so as to bias a lower end of said elongated rigid member inwardly. 